


The Way to a Man's Heart

by rhapshie



Series: AoKagaAo oneshots [9]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Graphic description of food, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:08:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28627026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhapshie/pseuds/rhapshie
Summary: There's a new shop that opens near Aomine's place and by god, the food is amazing.He came for the food and he stays because of... the food. And maybe the pretty redheaded shopkeeper too, but mostly the food.
Relationships: Aomine Daiki/Kagami Taiga
Series: AoKagaAo oneshots [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841209
Comments: 10
Kudos: 101





	The Way to a Man's Heart

When it comes to Japan and Tokyo, this particular place isn't known to be a name that most travel blogs mention often. It's not modern, the paths are too narrow and the structure design isn't at all contemporary. As one might expect, nothing ever goes on in that part of town. The residents mostly keep to themselves, but still, somehow, rumours travel quickly. The housewives who have nothing better to do whisper among themselves, spreading fiery gossips that might not be entirely correct.

Maybe it can be classified as 'boring' and somewhat annoying, considering how peaceful and mundane life seems to be even though they are close to Shinjuku. In fact, most of the residents would often spend their free time outside the town, leaving the place rather deserted most nights. Lights would shut off, the old streetlights would flicker and dogs would bark in the distance. That's how officer Aomine Daiki usually ends his night.

Today is no different. He strolls down the hill towards his small house nestled next to a building that has been long abandoned. No one knows where the owner is, but no one really cares to find out either. For a moment, nothing seems out of the ordinary for the exhausted officer who can't go a few steps without yawning or stretching his long limbs. It's evident that work has taken a toll on him.

However, as he draws closer towards his place, he walks past a small strip of humble houses to see that one of them has its doors barred open. Golden light spills out of it, illuminating the otherwise dark road. Aomine glances at the time on his wristwatch to see that, yes, it's 3:25 AM and whatever poor bugger is up during this hour probably should get the hell to bed if they don't want to wake up like death.

As a police officer, however, he finds it irresponsible to pass by without so much as a glance. He might be off duty, but that doesn't mean thieves will take a break. With a pair of curious eyes, he glances at the windows and immediately, his nose is hit by a waft of _irresistible_ aroma. It's a mix of ginger, garlic and onions being cooked over oil and he can hear the clanking of spatula against a wok. It's then that his stomach grumbles. He hasn't really eaten anything substantial after lunch.

Aomine can't help himself. With his hands in his pocket, he saunters excitedly towards the house only to see a big sign that says _Tora no Souzaiten_ that made his eyes sparkle. So this is a food shop filled with ready-to-eat side dishes! Like a kid walking into a candy store, Aomine stares wide-eyed at the array of food behind the glass stands. He can see yakitori sticks, karaage, crumbed cutlets, croquettes, meatballs, sausages and so, _so_ many other varieties.

He doesn't even realise he's crouching at this point, both hands and forehead pressed onto the glass with saliva running down the corner of his lips. He snaps out of it when he hears an amused, boyish chuckle. Standing up in an instant, he clears his throat and tries to play it cool. He hasn't even uttered a word before the gorgeous redhead in front of him grabs a stick of still-warm yakitori and stretches his arm out.

Wordlessly yet sceptically, Aomine grabs it and puts a piece into his mouth which is already coated in saliva. The entire time, his eyes remained fixed on the cute smile this muscular guy who's about the same height of him fashions.

"Good?" He grins cheekily.

Aomine isn't really listening, though. He's busy munching the juicy, succulent meat and licking his lips to further savour the smoky teriyaki flavour before he glares at the now empty stick like it just killed his newborn son.

"It's just 120 yen a stick. I have a fresh batch since you look really hungry." The shopkeeper angles his head slightly towards the kitchen where the mouth-watering aroma is coming from.

"I'll take ten. The fish balls too, five." Mutters Aomine, forehead still scrunching since he doesn't understand how a stick of yakitori can taste so good.

"Would you like some rice and miso soup with it? I don't really sell those but I've got some left over from dinner. Consider it a favour for a man of justice," The redhead offers a toothy grin that sucks the breath out of poor, exhausted Aomine. With a gulp, he nods. "Cool, take a seat! I'll grab 'em."

The blunette tosses some coins onto the counter that totals up to 1,800 yen before dragging a stool and sitting on one of the four dining sets. While the shopkeeper tends to his order, Aomine looks around the shop. It's small with cream-coloured tile floor, wooden counter filled with undoubtedly fan-fucking-tastic food and some overhead fabric separating the shop from the kitchen.

It's weird that this place is open at 3 AM, though. There's no sign anywhere indicating when the trading hour is too...

Wait.

 _Shit, is this some sort of supernatural phenomenon? Like, it's only_ me _who's seeing this place? Maybe I'm in some sort of ghost shop that's actually burned down twenty years ago and I'm imagining this whole thing. Then that guy's gonna come out with his entire body melted or something... only bones and muscles! Fuck, fuck, why did I do this!? I should've thought twice before entering... and that food! What if it's so good because there's some sort of ghosty shit mixed in it—_

"Order's up!"

Aomine quite literally jumped on his seat and almost screamed.

"What's wrong, sir?" The redhead blinked, voice full of concern as he set down the bowl of rice, miso soup and a plate full of the dish Aomine ordered.

"G-g-g-gh," He stammers, refusing to look at the shopkeeper. "Ghost—don't kill me—"

"G-ghost!? W-where!? Oi, d-don't scare me like that!"

Tentatively, Aomine turns his head towards the other male and slowly opens his eyes to see that, no, this guy hasn't turned into an abomination of melted flesh and drooping eyeballs. He's still his attractive redheaded self and that makes the blunette sighs in relief. "Okay... so you're not a ghost."

"What!?"

"Calm down, calm down," Now grinning, Aomine grabs a pair of wooden chopsticks and splits it. "Thanks for the food." He mumbles out of habit thanks to Satsuki's pestering before chowing down. Damn, how can rice taste so good!? It's so fluffy! He stirs the bowl of miso soup, drinks it and lets the hot broth warms his bones, then finally, he gobbles the yakitori with such fervour, the poor shopkeeper only stands there in confusion.

It's not until Aomine starts coughing thanks to food going down the wrong pipe that the shorter male burst out into laughter. "You enjoyed it _that_ much?"

"S-shut up," He coughed again and drank the glass of water the shopkeeper kindly gave him. "I was hungry, okay?"

"Yeah and you _totally_ didn't think it was delicious." He drags a seat next to him and smiles, amused at the officer who begrudgingly goes for another chopstick full of rice.

This time, he takes it much slower. He sinks a yakitori stick in the rice so those white beads are coated with glistening brown juice packed full of flavour. Then, he takes a bite of the tender meat, chewing it slowly with a content smile before going for another mouthful of rice. He finishes the bite with a nice wash of miso soup before repeating the process again.

He isn't aware of the pair of eyes that watch his every move intently. the shopkeeper rests his chin on both palms as he enjoys seeing someone else savouring his food like that. "Late night, huh?"

"Mm? Yeah," Said Aomine after swallowing. "Can I have two curry croquettes?"

"Coming right up!" The cook goes behind the counter to take the food items with tongs, then lay the plate in front of his customer.

"Are you always open at this hour?" Aomine picks the crumbed potato with his fingers and bites on the still-crunchy snack. The softness of the mashed potatoes combined with the sharp flavour of curry sends him straight to heaven.

"Nah, usually at 6 AM but I do prep and cooking at around 3. Families live here, so a lot of parents buy stuff for their kids' lunch early on."

"Hm..." He hums in response. No wonder he hasn't seen this place yet, then. He usually finishes work around 1-2 in the morning and it's only today that his start time gets pushed back.

The redhead walked back towards the counter but he didn't stop talking. "I just opened two weeks ago but business is surprisingly good for such a quiet town. Lots of people don't have time to cook, so they come here." He gathers the coins put there by Aomine and opens the till to insert them.

Aomine chews what is left of his food and drinks the rest of his miso soup along with the seaweed and diced tofu. He's always hungry after work, so it'd probably be good to accept that offer to move his shift forward two hours if it meant he can drop by this shop and enjoy those dishes again. After taking a large gulp of water, he stands up.

"I'll drop by again." Says the police officer shortly before he licks the sauce off his lips and walks out of the shop, satisfied with his meal. Behind him, he hears the shopkeeper's cheerful and loud voice replying with 'I'll be waiting!'.

.

For the next couple of weeks, Aomine is put on an early shift. Well, early for his standards. He would come to work at 11 AM and finish at 12 PM. He's no stranger to long shifts and honestly, doesn't mind it. Most of the time, he'd just sit in the police box with his legs up, yawning. Tourists would occasionally come and ask him for directions using their minimal Japanese and a whole lot of body language. Aomine's getting terrifyingly good at understanding what those weirdos are talking about.

To say that he missed eating at the stunning redhead's shop is an understatement. Ever since he tasted the shop's food, everything else tastes like cardboard. At this point, he'd rather eat Satsuki's food just so he can feel _something_ to make sure his tongue is still functioning. But then again, he still values his life.

"Dai-chan?" Speaking of the devil.

In response, the blunette hums while keeping his hat down. He doesn't even bother looking at his guest. "Still here, Satsuki?"

"Yes, finishing up my last assignment." She says, followed by the crinkling sound of a plastic bag that takes Aomine's attention. "You haven't eaten, right? Here, I have something for you."

Aomine glances up to see a convenience store bento box that he gladly receives with a grunt. He takes off his hat and splits the chopsticks. "Thanks. Are you okay going home by yourself?"

"Tetsu-kun is picking me up. I'm staying at his place tonight." She smiles, drumming her fingers on the counter as she watches Aomine putting a karaage in his mouth. His brows contort and he cringes.

"Ick."

"No good?" Satsuki tilts her head.

"Nothing tastes good anymore." He complains, pushing the box away. "Urgh... I wanna eat his food..."

"Whose?" She frowns. "You've been acting weird, Dai-chan."

"I think I've been cursed."

"What?"

"Ughh... there's this shop near my place. Food's fucking amazing. Better than anything I've ever eaten, but I haven't had time to visit." He groans, putting the side of his cheek on the table. "Satsuki, I'm gonna die if I don't eat his food. I'll really die, but he only opens when I'm asleep."

"Don't be such a drama queen, Dai-chan. You'll live. Now, eat up or you'll be sick. Tetsu-kun is almost here, so I need to go. See you later!" As quickly as she arrives, the force of nature slinks away into the night, leaving Aomine alone once again at the hour of 11 PM. The police box has always made him feel so claustrophobic and right now, it's almost like the walls are closing in on him.

"Kill me." He lightly taps his forehead against the table. All he wants to do is go home and sleep it off but at the same time, he wishes that his chief will tell him that his shift is extended.

"Excuse me, sir." Someone calls him from the other side of the wall.

Not very subtly, Aomine lifts up his head with a loud, exasperated groan. Another dumbass getting lost in this part of town again. Nothing new. However, when he opens his eyes, he immediately freezes.

"Oh, it's you." The shopkeeper from that souzaiten blinks back at him. "So you work here!"

Immediately, Aomine straightens up. He pulls his arms back but knocking a half-empty coffee mug in the process. The cold content spills all over his trousers and he comes to a standing position. In turn, befalling the chair he has been sitting on. "Argghh, dammit!" He grabs a few tissues and starts to rub his pants with them.

The redhead laughs at the embarrassingly epic blunder. "Late night?"

"You don't say." Aomine jabs, his voice is filled with frustration. "What're you doing here?"

He lifts up his hands which are occupied by many bags of groceries. Those must be extremely heavy but definitely not a problem for a guy his size. Even through his hoodies, Aomine can tell that he's shredded as all hell. "Grabbing some ingredients. The shop around the corner sells potatoes for really cheap." He then drops them. "I, uh... haven't seen you around." 

And Aomine dares to say that the shopkeeper looks bashful while saying it and perhaps, mildly disappointed. "Yeah. Haven't had the chance." He shrugs just in time for his stomach to make an embarrassing rumbling noise.

His conversational partner laughs once more, then his eyes meet the full takeaway bento box on the table. "Eat up."

"Nah. It's gross." Aomine says curtly before sitting back down. Most of the wet spots are gone now, but he still feels uncomfortable. Silence stretches on before the blunette glances up at the other in half-hopeful look.

The two stares at each other.

Then the stranger's funny quadbrows raise in realisation. A proud and adorable grin makes itself visible on his face as he once again lifts up his hands to show the groceries. "Got a kitchen?"

.

No, there is no kitchen.

There are only an old rice cooker and a kettle, but somehow Kagami made something out of nothing. Out of those two appliances, came out a large steaming pile of rice with steamed chicken breast coated in thick honey soy sauce glaze, carrots, peas and a side of miso soup. Since the rice had been cooked in the sauce, every grain is plump and glistening with juice that makes Aomine drool.

He stuffs his mouth full of delectable sustenance until he chokes.

"Hey, slow down. You look like you haven't eaten in weeks." The redhead puts his hands on his hips and laughs in that adorable, melodic tone.

That isn't entirely untrue. Aomine decides to keep that to himself, though. Instead, he punches his chest and gulps a mouthful of water, then looks at his company. "What kind of curse did you put on me?"

"Huh?"

"Everything that I eat tastes like cardboard, but somehow yours is..." He looks down at his empty bowl of food. "It tastes good. Fuck, _amazing_ , even. You're not human."

"I'm human!" He says with a grin, obviously chuffed to receive such a quality compliment. "But I'm flattered that you like my food that much. Is there a reason why you haven't dropped by?"

"Too busy. When I finish work, you're never open." Replies Aomine with a slight pout. He puts the chopsticks down and quietly whispers. "Thanks for the meal."

"Hm..." He tilts his head. "Then why don't you just ring the bell? My sleeping schedule is weird, so I'm usually already awake at 11 PM. I'll make sure to have something ready for you. How does that sound, officer?"

Aomine snaps his head towards the positively gleaming redhead who, at the time, looks like an angel. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!"

"Then I'll take that offer. God, is there a subscription fee for this or something?" The blunette teases. "It's almost like catering but at an ungodly hour."

"No need for money." He smiles.

"Hah?"

"I like seeing you enjoying my food. Besides, you're a police officer. It must be tiring, right? A free meal is the least I can do." Says the slightly shorter male as he grabs the bowls and puts it on the sink. "You look like someone who doesn't know how to take care of himself anyway."

"Oi, that's not how you talk to an officer of the law!" Aomine jokes and once again eliciting that cute laugh. "I'm Aomine Daiki, by the way."

With rows of sparkly white teeth, the redhead turns around and grins. "I'm Kagami. Kagami Taiga."

.

It's exactly the next day that Aomine turns up to work with such a positive attitude that gets everyone rather creeped out. He's all smiles all the way through his night shift even though he'd usually be a grumpy, lethargic mess that no one wants to deal with.

"Stop. You're scaring everyone." Wakamatsu lands a chop on his old friend's head using a folder.

"What, can't a man be happy for once in a while?" The blunette hums as he chows down on the tasteless convenience store-bought onigiri. It's awful, but he needs something to shut his stomach up with. The thought of eating Kagami's food later is reason enough for him to not pass out due to lack of energy.

"Gross." His friend rolls his eyes as Aomine grabs the folder off him and starts to flick through it all while whistling a tune. "Got a girl or something?"

"Something better." He answers, licking his lips. Golden brown curry hashbrowns... succulent beef and capsicum skewers... honey glazed chicken wings...

Wakamatsu clearly doesn't like that look, so he cringes and shakes his head. "Whatever, creep. Chief wants that report done before you leave. Try not to do anything that'll get you arrested." Not wanting to hear a reply, he leaves the area. He's honestly done of Aomine's shenanigans but somehow manages to stick around. Guess his insufferable attitude is a part of his charm.

The day can't be over fast enough for Aomine. It's exactly 12 AM when he packs up his belongings and skips down to the train station. Before he knows it, he's already standing in front of Kagami's place. Yep, it still exists. It's not a product of his wild imagination.

He doesn't waste any time to ring the front doorbell. He only needs to wait a few seconds before he hears the heavy thumping of footsteps, then the door is pushed open to reveal none other than Kagami, his hair messy—even messier than usual. He's wearing a loose black tank top and camo pants; a sight that almost makes Aomine purr appreciatively. While he isn't gay, he does acknowledge how much work one must put in order to be that fit. After all, he too is a gym rat.

"Oh," Aomine watches the man in front of him haphazardly tries to straighten his hair but to no avail because as soon as his palm leaves the spot, everything sticks out again. It's honestly endearing. "Shit, sorry. Didn't think you'd come so early. I thought it's the fish delivery. Come in, come in. I'm just preparing the food."

"Man, thanks for doing this." He takes off his hat and then his shoes as he enters the relatively large house. The interior is certainly in far better condition than the exterior. Though it's loosely decorated, it's clean and the colours work well together.

"No problem. I'm usually just watching TV at this hour anyway." Says Kagami while he motions towards the living room. "Take a seat. Feel free to change the channel."

Aomine looks at the TV that's showing a recording of an NBA game. It's a game between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. While he takes off his jacket, his eyes remain glued to the screen. "Damn, they're not looking good this year, huh?"

"Oh, you watch?" Kagami turns around to see Aomine already frowning at his TV. "Yeah, it's a shame, but ever since MJ left, they haven't been able to make the playoffs."

The blunette grunts in response. His frown becomes even more prominent as the Pistons score again.

"I'm making miso-glazed mushrooms, sesame crumbed chicken cutlets and soba noodles with pork bone broth."

The talk of food suddenly makes Aomine's stomach growl.

With a snort, Kagami presses a button on his air fryer. "You're always hungry."

"S-shut up. It's been a long day, okay? And I missed dinner, so..." He stammers defensively as he leans back on the couch as if it will help him out. "Anyway, you offered, so you don't get to shame me."

"Alright, alright! Sheesh... no need to be so defensive." Despite what he says, Kagami maintains a smile. This police officer might seem charming at a glance, but in reality, he's just an easily embarrassed dork. "There's a jar of cookies if you're peckish, but just a warning, I'm not a baker."

Without delay, Aomine pops open the glass jar stowed under the coffee table and reach for one with macadamia nuts. It's soft and slightly sweet but not sickeningly so. It's certainly not the best cookie he's ever had, but it's commendable. He grunts as he chews on it.

The sizzling sound of the pan is music to Aomine's ears. The smell is becoming more and more pungent too as the broth reduces. He hears the oven dings, then Kagami humming a tune to himself. With everything that's happening in the kitchen, he can't help but steal a glance just in time to see the redhead taking the tray out of the oven. He smiles, proud of himself after he pokes the mushroom with a chopstick.

"You feed random guys often?" Aomine finds himself wondering out loud.

Kagami snorts. "I'm not hitting on you, if that's what you're thinking."

"Yeah? Could'a fooled me." Stretching an arm over the backrest of the sofa, the bluenette offers a side smirk that got Kagami tongue-tied.

"W-what? Can't a guy be nice without any ulterior motives?"

Seeing the flustered reaction, Aomine's grin grows wider. He turns his body towards Kagami and winks. "You sure you don't wanna compare sizes?"

"N-no!" The redhead's cheeks grow a little pinkish at the jab. "Stop being an asshole. Here's your food. Eat it before I regret ever making it." Kagami curls his nose in a pout as he sets a few plates on the dining table.

"Fine, fine." The dark-skinned male chuckles as he walks towards the food. As usual, the smell is absolutely divine and Aomine can immediately tell that it will translate to the taste too.

And he's not wrong.

Kagami stares at his company who looks like he has ascended straight to heaven the moment he puts a spoonful into his mouth. If there's one thing he enjoys, it's seeing people's reactions to his food. He's not a friendly-looking guy and he's aware that he can be quite terrifying. However, his food is the easiest way he can get a smile out of someone. It's a skill he will not exchange for the world because no matter how intimidating he is, he secretly loves making others happy.

And that blissful expression Aomine fashions, it's everything he loves.

The blunette doesn't notice Kagami staring at him due to all the delicious food that he quickly scarfs down. "Fuck," He moans between his bites. "Marry me."

The sudden proposition makes Kagami's breath hitch. He knows it means nothing, but that doesn't stop his heart from hammering. He has never been good with thoughtless remarks like that, especially when it comes from someone as attractive as Aomine.

"Seriously... it's so good. Can you like, be my in-house chef?"

With a sigh, Kagami stands up and grabs the empty plates. "Idiot."

"Why're you insulting someone who's complimenting you?" Patting his inflated belly, Aomine leans back on his chair and lets out a loud burp.

"Can't believe the safety of our country is in the hands of people like you."

"Shaddup..." He groans. "Can I use your shower?"

"You want a back rub while you're at it?" He rolls his eyes.

"If you're offering." Aomine laughs. "Suck my dick too, will ya?"

"Leave my house!" The redhead snaps halfheartedly. There's just something about Aomine, especially his hearty laugh, that makes it impossible to truly be mad at him. "Seriously..."

"Aw, is little Taiga pouting?" He hums in a singsong tone only to get a foot to the back of his chair. "Augh! Fine, fine. I'm leaving. Geez. No need for violence. Do I need to give you an official warning for threatening an officer?" Grabbing his hat, the policeman gets to his feet.

"If you do that, you're not getting food ever again."

"Not even if I buy it?"

"Banned from my shop!"

"You're a horrible human being." He says that, but he's chuckling with mirth. "Thanks for the meal, though. Seriously. It was crazy good."

"Yeah, whatever." Replies the other as he starts the sink. He's glad that he has his back turned towards Aomine because he's grinning from ear-to-ear right now. 

.

Somehow, it becomes a daily occurrence. Aomine invites himself over and over after every shift. Each time, Kagami cooks him something different but just as delicious as the others. It doesn't help that their relationship slowly becomes tighter still, considering their mutual basketball hobbies. Kagami made it a habit to save out the highlights for the earlier games that Aomine missed and they'd watch those together over a meal.

"Mm, don't really like watching highlights but guess I need sleep." Aomine stretches his long limbs and cracks his neck.

"Without ads and timeout breaks, it's pretty short. Let's do that tomorrow? I think Cavs and Bulls are playing so we finally can put to rest our argument about who's better."

Aomine snorts as he places an empty bowl on the table. "Fine. Don't cry if you lose. We might not have LeBron anymore, but what can LaVine do to us?" In response, Kagami playfully shoves him. The two shares challenging smirks before Aomine falls quiet to the game displayed on the screen. "Have you ever been to a real game before?"

"Yeah, my dad used to take me to some." Answers the redhead as he stands up and grabs the dishware that needs to be put into the dishwasher. "He's not into NBA, but he knows how much I love it."

Aomine glances at the way Kagami bends over, jutting his ass forward in turn. Idly, he put a foot against one of the mounds and widens his eyes in surprise when he feels how unexpectedly soft it is.

"W-what the hell!?" Kagami immediately stands up straight and glowers at the guest.

"If you have to choose between eating a guy's ass or licking a chick's toes, which one would you rather do?"

It probably speaks volume that the odd question doesn't coax anything more than an eyeroll from the redhead. "Ass. Who knows where those feet have been."

"And who knows if the guy took a dump or not before you put your tongue there." Aomine shudders at the thought. "But really? You'd rather eat a guy's ass?"

"An ass is an ass. I don't wanna go anywhere near toes." Kagami retorts as he rinses everything on the sink.

"Have you ever, then?" The slightly taller male interrupts. He's now lying down on the leather couch with his head hanging down from the armrest thanks to his height. "Eaten an ass, I mean."

"Damn, ask me out on a date first before you ask me something so personal, Ahomine."

"You mean _this_ isn't a date?"

Silence stretches on. Kagami swears he almost dropped his plate before he snaps his head towards the police officer who fashions a shit-eating grin. "You jerk. Stop teasing me!"

The blunette lets out a loud burst of laughter which is such a melodic tune for Kagami whose ears now begin to turn red. It's not cocky laughter either, but a genuine one out of amusement. "Did I disappoint you? Aw... Lil' Tiger wanna date me?" Still lounging without a care in the world on the couch, his eyes meet Kagami's with mischievous twinkles.

"Ughh! I don't even know why I feed you sometimes."

"Maybe 'cause you wanna eat my ass." He sticks out his tongue and winks.

"Get out!" Fuming, Kagami grabs a magazine, rolls it and approaches his guest with it.

Seeing that, Aomine jumps to his feet and makes a beeline towards the front door before Kagami can reach him. The entire time, his laughter refuses to stop.

.

The library is rather quiet that day even though it's raining outside. Most people love to take shelter here since it's near a bustling road, but not today.

Kuroko is busy on his laptop researching some fun activities to do with toddlers in his daycare with Aomine sitting in front of him. The police officer has his chin on the desk, a phone on his hand and a pair of Bluetooth earbuds in his ears. They have been relatively silent for the past few minutes.

That is until Aomine speaks up.

"Have you ever eaten an ass before, Tetsu?"

The shorter male slams his laptop shut and glares disapprovingly at his lifelong friend.

"Wouldn't it like... taste bad?" Despite the wordless threat, Aomine continues. "Like, the remnant of poop... ew."

"I believe it's something you discuss with your partner beforehand. With anything, appropriate preparation is required. There are many steps to ensure that the unfortunate doesn't happen." Kuroko shakes his head before opening his laptop back up. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Nothing... my friend just got me thinking."

"Is this Kagami-kun?" At the solemn nod, he sighs. "Please do not consult me if you would like to do this to him."

"Says who!?" He jerks upwards and pulls an earbud out.

"Please. This is the library." 

"What the hell gave you the—" He sneezed. "—The idea!?"

"Well, with how much this Kagami-kun feeds you, I'm not surprised that it comes to this." There is a sly smile beneath that flat expression that makes Aomine's embarrassment flare up.

"I don't wanna _eat his ass_!" Aomine says a bit too loudly, awarding him with many scandalised looks.

With a soft exhale, Kuroko closes his laptop once more and puts it in his bag. "Let's leave. The rain's stopping too now. No one would like to hear about your misadventures, Aomine-kun."

"I keep telling you—" He sneezes.

"You are catching a cold. This is what you get for not bringing an umbrella even when the forecast says that there is a high chance of storm." The resistance doesn't deter Kuroko from teasing the other bluehead.

Aomine clicks his tongue in response but follows his friend into the black sedan. He hates to admit that he really isn't feeling well. His clothes are wet and he's shivering. It doesn't help that he has always been sensitive to the cold. Thankfully, the ride home is mercifully short. After thanking Kuroko, Aomine hops into the shower and crawls under the sheet for a much-needed nap.

.

The clock says 12:30 AM but no one is walking through the front door.

Kagami is flipping over a hamburg steak by flicking his pan and he should pay attention to it but his eyes keep drifting towards the wall clock above the TV. He taps his right foot restlessly against the ground as he opens the pot next to the pan to see if the vegetables have finished boiling or not.

"You're late..." There is a small pout on his lips as he mutters it out loud. It's strange for Aomine to not turn up on time without warning. Is he just being held up at work or...

He quickly shakes his head to snap himself back to reality. This is no time for such an ugly thought. Sure, Aomine works a dangerous job, but someone like him surely can handle what it entails, right?

...Right?

Kagami clears his throat as he takes the pot to the colander and drains it before splashing it with cold water. The idiot should be here any moment now, he thinks. Knowing him, he probably just took a detour to grab a few cans of beer. Yes, that must be it.

However, even after thirty minutes of waiting, nothing changes. Kagami grows more and more concerned by the second. He turns off the stoves cooking some dishes for his shop and grabs his phone so he can—

Wait. He doesn't have Aomine's number.

Slapping his forehead, Kagami glares at his screen like it will help him to conjure the string of numbers he badly needs right now. When he realises that no mythical power is about to descend on him and solve his predicament, he resorts to pacing around his living room instead.

"The news. Gotta check the news." Kagami quickly grabs his remote and switches to a late-night news channel only to find nothing out of the ordinary. No talks of a big accident or any unfortunate soul departing prematurely, which reliefs Kagami somewhat. Taking a deep breath, he turns the TV off and walks towards the front door. A second later, he sighs.

He decides to pack up the freshly cooked food and go for a wild goose chase around the neighbourhood. Aomine mentioned that he lives close, so he should be able to find the guy, right? Surely...

.

Aomine is glad that he gave his slave driver of a boss a head's up that he will not be in today because apparently, he slept through the entire evening. It's currently 3 AM and he's in the kitchen grabbing a glass of water with a duvet covering him. His entire body is in flame but extremely cold at the same time as he walks back towards his bedroom so he can get some more sleep.

He ignores his stomach's cries for food because he really can't be bothered eating when his tastebud is nonexistent. Instead, he crawls back to his futon.

How long has it been since he last fell ill? Honestly, it's been a long time coming, considering his all-work-no-play lifestyle. In fact, when was the last time he had a day off!?

With a grunt, he puts his head into his pillow only to hear the front bell ringing.

"It's 3 AM!" He yells out to absolutely no one.

It quickly becomes apparent that whoever is out there has no intention of giving up. After his bell attempts went ignored, the person resorts to slamming their hand on the door, practically forcing Aomine to stand up and head on there.

"What the hell do you want!"

And there stands Kagami. His red hair is an absolute mess and he's visibly panting with distress written all over him.

"Aomine!" He grabs a handful of Aomine's duvet before pulling him into a crushing hug. "You're okay."

"W-what?" He stammers, confused at the sudden display of affection.

"You didn't come, so..." Kagami deflates in Aomine's arms. "I got worried. I went to your station but your friend said that you're taking a day off. They refused to give me your address too, meaning I had to bother every single person in the neighbourhood until I find you." He then tentatively pulls away from the blunette, cheeks flushed due to the fatigue. "Uhm... Here. Your dinner." He quiet mutters after extending his arm towards Aomine. In the bag are three airtight containers. "It might be a bit cold now, so heat it up."

Silence draws between the two as Aomine stares at the redhead with his lips slightly parted.

"You... went all the way here to give me this?"

Kagami shuffles uncomfortably. "Y-yeah! You got any problem with that!?" Stuttering, he curls his lips.

"What's this. Aren't you cute." The blunette teases as he grabs the bag of food. Seeing the way Kagami squirm is enough to make him forget about his condition. "Since you're already here, come inside."

"I-I gotta cook. Shop's opening up soon and I got tonnes to do." He scratches the back of his head. "But are you okay?"

"Yeah." Replies Aomine, somehow managing to not sound disappointed. "Just a pesky cold. It'll go away after some sleep. Uhh," He lifts the bag of food. "Thanks. I owe you one."

The redhead nods. In his beautiful eyes is a relief. "Get better soon."

The moment Kagami turns around the corner and disappear, Aomine sinks to his rear. His cheeks are uncontrollably warm, and he suspects it's not from his fever.

.

The days following the incident is nothing short of strange. Not really in a bad way, but Aomine finds himself spacing out and more and more often. He continues to visit Kagami but he begins to notice small things that he never really did before.

Kagami is _cute._ Cute as _fuck_.

He gets flustered easily and gets too excited when someone compliments his food. He can't handle horror (but Aomine can't too), terrified of dogs and can go on forever about basketball. It's hilarious to think that all these lame qualities are wrapped inside such an athletic body. If Kagami was a girl, then Aomine would totally go for him. But he isn't.

"You okay there?" The redhead tilts his head. Today is one of those rare days when Aomine has a day off. His boss is nice enough to finally fix his schedule so he has at least one day to himself.

"Mm, yeah. Just thinking." He mutters. It's currently 7 AM. He saw many customers coming and going, and for some reason, Kagami knows every single one of their names. "You're really popular."

"Yeah, it's honestly surprising. I didn't think I'd get this many customers. It's great to see so many people enjoying my food." Wiping down his station, he grins.

Aomine hums. He has his chin rested on his palm and one hand idly toying with a skewer that previously housed a pork cutlet. "You got a girlfriend?"

"No. Why do you ask?" Kagami raises his eyebrows.

"Just curious." He mutters as he puts down the object and glances sideways at his friend. "A boyfriend then?"

"N-no!"

"Don't get so defensive. I'm not homophobic." He snorts.

"I just... don't have anyone like that. I think." He glances at Aomine shyly through his long fringe. "What about you?"

The blunette turns away slightly. Romance has never been his forte because most people annoy the hell out of him. Starting from their nagginess, how much space they occupy in his already stifling life and how boring their interests are, but not Kagami. Kagami hasn't annoyed him even a single time. In fact, Aomine always looks forward to the time he'd drop by again.

Does that mean he likes Kagami? No. That can't be it. Isn't he... straight?

"Earth to Ahomine?"

"Sheesh. Nosy." He groaned.

"You started it." The redhead laughs. His voice is boyish, but his smile is extremely charming. It's wide and it shows his pearly teeth. The sound that reverberates from his throat, too, Aomine finds calming. It's not deep nor is it unbearably fake or squeaky.

It's a feeling he is unfamiliar with. Not a single person has ever made him like everything about them down to their laughter, but Kagami truly is an exception. 

With a small smile, he looks at his reflection on the window and shrugs. "Yeah. I think I do."

"Oh? That's surprising." Kagami replies, his voice quiet. Even for someone as daft as Aomine, he can tell that he sounds disturbed. "Who?"

The blunette stands up and approaches the redhead. With a smirk, he reaches forward with a hand to see Kagami's entire body stiffening. Then, he flicks his forehead.

"Ouch!" He immediately slaps his palm over the spot and glowers at the police officer. His brows are furrowed and his lips are curled into a pout that Aomine finds so very endearing.

However, instead of doing anything about it, Aomine merely grabs his jacket and puts it on. "Like I said. Nosy." He grins before heading towards the door.

"Wait, Aomine! Tell me!" Kagami snaps his head towards his friend's back and runs after him.

"Noooo way." He hums teasingly.

For years, his life has been hectic, but now even if only for a moment, he can relax in Kagami's shop. The slow pace lets him clear his head and allows him to see past who he thinks he is. There is still so much more to discover, it seems.

Surely, it will be fine to draw things out just a little bit more. After all, it doesn't look like Kagami is leaving any time soon.

"Alright! Time to go watch some NBA." He stretches his arms nonchalantly.

"Aomine, that's unfair. You have to tell me who you like!"

Yeah, it's definitely fine to take it slowly.

**Author's Note:**

> Souzaiten is a shop that sells side dishes. I don't know the English name for it but if you google 惣菜店 then you'll see!
> 
> Sorry I ended this in such an open-ended way, but all I wanted to write was a fluffy AoKaga~ hope you guys enjoyed it regardless.


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